EXCLUSIVE: Names of Osinbajo’s aides fired by Buhari

Follow @biodunpen Daily Trust Online has exclusively obtained names and portfolios of some of the aides of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who were sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari. The crisis rocking the presidency yesterday worsened as Buhari sacked 35 aides of Osinbajo, Daily Trust reports. Prominent on the list of the affected aides is Ajibola […]

EXCLUSIVE: Names of Osinbajo’s aides fired by Buhari


Daily Trust Online has exclusively obtained names and portfolios of some of the aides of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who were sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The crisis rocking the presidency yesterday worsened as Buhari sacked 35 aides of Osinbajo, Daily Trust reports.

Prominent on the list of the affected aides is Ajibola Ajayi, the daughter of former governor of Oyo state, Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi. She was appointed Special Assistant, Legal to the President (VP’s office) in August 2019. She was a former SA to the President on Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE (VP’s office) from October 2015 to May 2019.

Also on the list are Lanre Osinbona, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on ICT; Imeh Okon, SSA on Infrastructure; Jide Awolowo, SA, Oil & Gas; Gambo Manzo, SA Political  and Edobor Iyamu, SSA, Niger Delta.

The list as released by a reliable source in the Villa, includes:

Jibola Ajayi- SA, Legal

Lanre Osinbona- SSA,ICT

Imeh Okon- SSA, Infrastructure

Jide Awolowo- SA, Oil and Gas

Lilian Idiaghe- SA, Research,Legal and Compliance

Arukino Umukoro- SA, Niger Delta

Bala Liman Mohammed- SSA Economy

Edobor Iyamu- SSA, Niger Delta

Dolapo Bright -SSA, Agro Allied Value Chain

Toyosi Onaolapo- SA, Community engagement

Gambo Manzo-  SA, Political

Bisi Ogungbemi -SA, Political Matters

Edirin Akemu -SSA, Industry,Trade & Investment

Akin Soetan -STA,  Economic matters

Aondaver Kuttuh -Technical Assistant,  Rule of Law

Ife Adebayo- SA, Innovation

Yussuf Ali -SA, Power regulations

Tola Asekun -SSA, National boundary commission

Morakinyo Beckley -SA, Off grid power

Yosola Akinbi -SSA, NEC

Tochi Nwachukwu -SA, Power Privatisation

Bode Gbore -SSA, Political

Abdulrahman Baffa Yola -SA, Political

Kolade Sofola -SA, Infrastructure

Ebi Awosika -STA, Coimmunity Engagement

Muyiwa Abiodun -SSA, Power

Forri Samson Banu -SA, Entrepreneurship

Bege Bala -SA, BPE

Feyishayo Aina -SA, Community engagement

Halima Bawa  -SA, Community Engagement

Nkechi Chukwueke -SA, Community engagement

Gambo Manzo -SA, Political

Ilsa Essien -SA, Media

 

But the presidency also yesterday insisted that there was no rift between the president and his embattled deputy.

Multiple presidency sources confirmed the sack of the aides of the vice president, heightening the tension in the country’s seat of power amidst insinuations that the unfolding drama was about the 2023 presidential election.

The vice president reportedly had over 80 aides who were deployed in many strategic positions, with sources around the corridors of power saying the recent attention around the vice president was aimed at reducing his influence, just as it happened to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar shortly after ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo won a second term.

A presidency source said letters relieving the aides of the vice president of their appointments were issued to those affected yesterday. Daily Trust gathered that the affected aides were attached to different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

One of the sources, who sought anonymity said: “The letters were distributed to the affected aides through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. They were not working within the precinct of the presidential villa.”

 

President Buhari, who is on a 15-day private visit to the United Kingdom, is expected back home on November 17.

It was also gathered that access tags to the presidential villa of some of the aides of the vice president were retrieved yesterday by security personnel attached to the villa.

Another report, however, suggested that the action was taken to prevent the aides from being redundant as some of the jobs being undertaken by them were no longer under the control of the vice president.

Contacted separately, the Senior Special Assistants to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu and Mr Laolu Akande who normally spoke on behalf of the vice president, neither confirmed nor dismissed the reported sack of the 35 aides.

A text message sent to our correspondent by Shehu reads: “The SGF has responsibility for the issuance of letters of appointment, and where the need arises, sack letters as well. Please meet him with your questions.”

For his part, Akande said, “I just heard it just like anybody. But I’m going to find out what is happening.”